TLDR
- Indonesia’s Immigration Office arrested 5 foreign nationals, 2 from China and 3 from Vietnam, over a suspected online gambling operation.
- The arrests followed a raid on September 7 in Kelapa Dua, Tangerang District, where officers seized 1 computer, 1 laptop, and 26 mobile phones.
- Suspicion first arose after the group applied to extend their stay permits using travel tickets with altered names.
- Officials believe the Chinese nationals tracked transactions while the Vietnamese nationals collected money from gambling activity aimed at the Vietnamese market.
- Authorities are now searching for 7 other foreigners connected to the case, with 2 already named as subjects of interest.
Indonesia’s Immigration Office has arrested 5 foreign nationals suspected of running an online gambling operation. The group includes 2 Chinese nationals and 3 Vietnamese nationals.
The arrests took place after a raid on September 7 in Kelapa Dua, a district in Tangerang, Banten. Officers found a large number of electronic devices at the location.
Barron Ichsan, head of the Banten Immigration Office, said the devices were running automatically when officers arrived. This raised suspicion about their use.
How the Investigation Started
The case began on August 29, when the 5 foreigners applied to extend their temporary stay permits. As part of the process, they had to submit proof of round-trip travel tickets.
Immigration officers reviewing the applications noticed problems with the tickets. The names on the documents appeared to have been changed.
Officials believed the tickets did not actually belong to the applicants. This led immigration officers to summon all 5 individuals for questioning on September 7.
After the group responded to the summons, officers searched their residence in Kelapa Dua. That search turned up the electronic equipment now tied to the case.
In total, officers seized 1 computer, 1 laptop, and 26 mobile phones. The devices were reportedly operating without anyone actively using them at the time.
Suspected Roles in the Operation
According to the early investigation, the 2 Chinese nationals allegedly helped manage a system that recorded transactions. Their identities have been listed by the initials WH and ZL.
The 3 Vietnamese nationals, identified as LVT, DVD, and DIH, were reportedly responsible for collecting money from the gambling activity. Officials say the operation targeted people in Vietnam.
Ichsan said the group may have earned hundreds of millions of Vietnamese dong per day. He added that the suspects had only been in Indonesia for about one month.
Authorities have not released details about the gambling website itself. It is unclear how large the operation was or how many people took part.
Following the arrests, immigration officials expanded their search to 7 other foreigners connected to the case. These individuals are believed to have fled before they could be questioned.
Of that group, 2 have been formally placed on the subject-of-interest list. Officials are working to locate them and determine their role, if any, in the operation.
The Banten Immigration Office said it is coordinating with embassies in Jakarta as the investigation continues. This step is standard when foreign nationals are involved in a case.
Officials have not ruled out deportation and an entry ban for the suspects. Whether that happens will depend on if criminal charges move forward in Indonesia.
The 5 suspects may face charges under Articles 122 and/or 123 of Indonesia’s Immigration Law. These cover misuse of a stay permit and submitting false immigration information.
Those charges carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Fines can reach up to Rp200 million.
Ichsan said Indonesia only allows foreign nationals to stay if they do not threaten public safety. He said immigration officers would continue watching for activity that breaks the law.
Investigators still need to examine the seized devices and track the remaining suspects. The case remains open as officials continue building their findings
